Reviews

The Consensus: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box Review

Among other critics the cut-scenes and animation are universally recognized as being thoroughly awesome.

"And that's exactly what I love most about the Professor Layton series: the presentation. The game's Japanese developed but the art designers go with a more European flavor for the game's art style -- a little anime flavor sneaks in there, which is unavoidable considering the territory, but I really enjoy the non-traditional animation style for a Japanese-developed game. The full-motion cutscenes are incredibly well produced, and there are plenty of them throughout the course of the 12-hour adventure. It's no wonder why the developer has expanded the Professor Layton series into feature films in Japan: I would totally watch an hour and a half of the Professor as he works his magic, especially if it looks this good and is acted as well as it is in the DS games." -- Craig Harris, IGN

"The professor's second outing features some truly impressive animated story cutscenes, all of which are fully voice acted for maximum immersion. The whimsical hand-drawn art style looks fantastic throughout the game, but the cutscenes in particular stand out. The same voice actors from the Curious Village have carried over, as have some musical selections, including the puzzle theme (though much of the music is new). If you enjoyed the slightly exaggerated British accents and the calm and soothing soundtrack of its predecessor, then the Diabolical Box will please you in much the same way." -- Lark Anderson, Gamespot

The Critics Disagree

Not everyone felt that the art was consistently good throughout, though.

"Unfortunately, because of the increased scope of the game, The Diabolical Box seems to be lacking some of the charm of the original. Instead of searching one quaint village for clues you are stuck on a rather drab train or exploring unremarkable looking towns. In general, the graphic style isn't as focused as the original title." -- Michelle Jones, GamePro